RUSKIN, Fla. – A 17-year-old is back in custody after Hillsborough County deputies caught him lurking near a local campus just months after a weapon arrest.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office arrested Valentino Pileggi on Thursday, following a string of digital threats sent to a student at Lennard High School. Deputies first caught wind of the situation on May 27, launching an immediate investigation into the messages.
This isn’t Pileggi’s first encounter with law enforcement at the school. Investigators noted he was previously arrested in March 2026 for bringing a knife onto campus, a charge officially listed as Possession of a Weapon on School Property. While he no longer attends Lennard High, he was spotted carrying a black backpack near the school during the latest investigation.
Deputies tracked Pileggi down and detained him in a nearby neighborhood on Thursday. According to authorities, Pileggi confessed to sending the threatening messages from his cell phone.
He now faces charges of Written or Electronic Threat to Kill or Do Bodily Injury, alongside Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device.
“There is zero tolerance for threats targeting anyone in our community, but especially a vulnerable student,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said following the arrest. “This suspect has shown repeatedly that he is willing to break the law, and we will not allow this to continue without serious consequences. Never be afraid to come forward if you or someone you know is being threatened.”
The sheriff’s office confirmed that the investigation remains active.
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